"This is a war:: Trump goes on offensive to spread distrust of Mueller investigation
So, it appears we are going to hear a lot more about the Mueller investigation from Trump and his re-election committee, and it is not likely to be complimentary. The new Chief of Staff (Kelly) is having no impact in that regard, except possibly to swing thins in a more anti-Mueller direction
That will make a lot of Trump supporters happy, or at least give added voice to those who want to express the same thoughts. It may make Trump happy too if he has the need to vent about this.
My question is, beyond emotional release, how does this help Trump?
Will it increase the size of his base?
Will it win him more votes in the next election?
Will it strengthen popular support for Republican candidates for congress in 2018?
Will it intimidate or slow Mueller?
Will it increase positive sentiment for Trump among the Republicans who serve in congress now?
I get it about emotional release. Politically, I don't see an advantage.
I do see a risk. By continually keeping the investigation in the spotlight, Trump distracts attention from other issues where sentiment must be swayed to move things through congress. Waging this "war" also reminds the general public every day that Trump is under investigation. It won't matter that Comey said he is not under investigation. Because Trump is reminding the public every day that the investigation exists, people will generally conclude that Trump is the target.
If I was advising Trump, I urge a different approach. I'd urge him to cooperate fully with the investigation so it can be quickly concluded and so people can learn that the investigation really was a "political hit job" as a Trump advisor described it. That would end the investigatory nonsense and free Trump and congress to focus on more productive and meaningful things.
Of course, the full-cooperation plan only works if there was no collusion and no crimes that the investigation would discover.